Chapter Thirteen: There Are Actually Zombie Animals

I pressed down on the back of the zombie, the wind roaring past my ears, bringing a faint chill that couldn’t dispel the burning anxiety in my heart. Behind me, Jiang Hanchuan and Luo Yucheng followed closely. Our figures darted swiftly through the forest, like desperate fugitives seeking a glimmer of hope in the wasteland of the apocalypse.

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After shaking off the marauders, though puzzled by their failure to pursue us further, we did not slow our pace. I abandoned the idea of riding the zombie’s back and continued southward on foot. Although I controlled only a few zombies, maintaining control consumed a tremendous amount of my mental energy; if I kept this up, I might suffer a nervous breakdown before reaching the laboratory base.

Along the way, I relied on my unique abilities like a built-in navigation system, skillfully avoiding places infested with zombies and steering clear of unnecessary battles and massacres.

Weeks passed, and Xu Hanfeng’s injuries were nearly healed. The four of us moved steadily, one after another, through the desolate world.

We arrived in Anqing City, Nanyang Province.

After a long and arduous trek, we finally stepped into the territory of Nanyang Province.

Xu Hanfeng pulled out a map, scrutinized it carefully, then pointed to a ruined city ahead. His voice was solemn: “Look, that should be Anqing City, but it’s probably already become a playground for zombies. We must proceed cautiously.”

The four of us entered Anqing City with utmost care. The scene before us was nothing short of hell on earth, horrifying to behold.

Shops along the street were shuttered tight, windows shattered, glass shards scattered everywhere. What was once a bustling street had now become a haunt for roaming zombies. They snarled and wandered about; some wore tattered clothes hanging loosely, revealing rotting flesh that exuded a nauseating stench. Some zombies even tore at each other, blood splattering, as if the entire world had sunk into a mire of death.

“This… is Anqing City?” Luo Yucheng’s eyes widened in disbelief.

She had never witnessed such a terrifying sight. “So many zombies… what do we do?” Her voice trembled as she gripped her weapon tightly, fear shining in her eyes.

“We have to avoid them. If we engage directly, we’ll alert the nearby zombies, and then we’ll be surrounded—trapped like fish in a barrel with no escape,” Xu Hanfeng said gravely, his gaze steady and calculating as he pondered our strategy.

We nodded. Since I was immune to zombie attacks, I took the lead, cautiously weaving through the zombies. We kept close to the walls, making as little noise as possible, afraid to rouse these dreadful creatures. Yet, the zombies seemed oblivious to our presence, continuing their aimless wandering as if hunting their next prey.

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Suddenly, sharp howls pierced the air, and several shadows flashed like lightning.

We focused our eyes and realized they were zombified animals. Originally pets, strays, or once the cherished inhabitants of the city’s zoo, these creatures had now transformed into frenzied zombie beasts.

Their speed far outpaced the humanoid zombies, like arrows loosed from a bow, swiftly closing the distance to us.

“Zombified animals!” I exclaimed, hastily assuming a defensive stance.

Madness and bloodlust gleamed in their eyes; their claws were razor-sharp, capable of tearing through flesh with ease.

Xu Hanfeng reacted swiftly, swinging his iron rod at the lead zombie dog. The rod cut through the air with a whistle, striking the creature’s head hard. The dog let out a pitiful shriek and collapsed, motionless. But the rest of the zombie animals, undeterred, lunged at us with even greater fury.

I was stunned—why couldn’t I sense these zombie animals mentally?

Still, I instinctively attempted to exert control over them, but my efforts fell into an abyss of silence. These beasts appeared to have lost all reason, driven only by wild, ferocious attacks.

“Han Chuan, watch your back!” I shouted anxiously toward Jiang Hanchuan.

Jiang Hanchuan gripped a thick spiked club tightly, spinning around just in time to strike at an attacking zombie cat. The club landed heavily, sending the creature flying against a wall. It staggered but then rose again.

Jiang Hanchuan turned to flee but stumbled over a protruding rebar, crashing forward and hitting his knee hard on the ground, pain contorting his face.

Xu Hanfeng came rushing over and delivered a precise blow, blasting the zombie cat’s head apart.

Nearby, Luo Yucheng gripped a shovel, standing beside me. Her eyes radiated determination and courage, but her body trembled slightly.

When a zombie rat lunged at us, Luo Yucheng swung the shovel fiercely, but the creature moved like a ghost, elusive and unpredictable, the club only brushing its tail. The rat screamed but pressed on with relentless ferocity.

I tried to use the zombies to block them, but the zombies were too slow to keep up with these animals, rendering my efforts useless—more of a hindrance than help.

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I hurriedly stepped back but accidentally collided with a crumbling wall behind me. Bricks tumbled down, striking my head and shoulders, pain nearly bringing tears to my eyes.

Again, Xu Hanfeng galloped to our aid, breaking the crisis.

Back to back, the four of us fought with all our might against the frenzied onslaught of the zombie animals. They attacked relentlessly, and our iron and wooden rods swung fiercely, locked in a desperate battle. Yet, the sheer number of the beasts began to overwhelm us.

“Quick! There’s a museum over there—let’s take shelter inside!” Xu Hanfeng shouted suddenly.

We seized the chance and dashed toward the museum. The zombie animals pursued relentlessly, their howls and scratching claws threatening to tear our eardrums apart. We ran with every ounce of strength, swinging our rods to fend off the relentless attackers.

Finally, we reached the museum’s entrance first. Xu Hanfeng spun and slammed the door shut with all his might. But the zombie animals refused to relent, clawing madly at the door, their howls deafening. We pressed our backs against the door, panting, listening to the terrifying sounds outside with hearts pounding.

Our bodies were battered and bruised, pain sharp and unyielding, but we knew now was not the time to fall.

Surveying the interior, the museum was dilapidated yet still relatively safe. We found a concealed corner, sat down, and began discussing our next move.

“It’s relatively safe inside; I don’t sense any zombies here, but…” I hesitated.

Xu Hanfeng glanced at me and immediately understood. “But you can’t sense whether there are zombified animals, right, Linyu?”

I felt as if I were confiding in a wise older sister and nodded vigorously. “Boss, how did you know? That’s amazing!” Then I pouted. “Maybe my ability is still too weak. I’m no help this time.”

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